ld her tastes into some likeness to his own--it is the impulse of
all advanced lovers and new husbands. It was unlucky that he should have
chosen for the time of beginning his experiment the very evening of the
day on which she had heard Mrs. Frankland. Phillida's mind was all aglow
with the feelings excited by the address when Millard called with the
intention of inviting her to attend the theater with him.

He found a far-awayness in her mood which made him keep back his
proposal for a while. He did not admire her the less in her periods of
exaltation, but he felt less secure of her when she soared into a region
whither he could not follow. He hesitated, and discussed the weather of
the whole week past, smiting his knee gently with his gloves in the
endeavor to obtain cheerfulness by affecting it. She, on her part, was
equally eager to draw Millard into the paths of feeling and action she
loved so well, and while he was yet trifling with his gloves and the
weather topic, she began:

"Charley, I do wish you could have heard Mrs. Frankland's talk to-day."
Phillida's hands were turned palms downward on her lap as she spoke;
Millard fancied that their lines expressed the refinement of her
organization.

"Why doesn't she admit men?" he said, smiling. "Here you, who don't need
any betterment, will become so good by and by that you'll leave me
entirely behind. We men need evangelizing more than women do. Why does
Mrs. Frankland shut us out from her good influences?"

"Oh! you know she's an Episcopalian, and Episcopalians don't think it
right for women to set up to teach men."

"I'm Episcopalian enough, but if a woman sets up as a preacher at all, I
don't see why she shouldn't preach to those that need it most. It's only
called a 'Bible reading'"--here Charley carefully spread his gloves
across his right knee--"there's no law against reading the Bible to
men?" he added, looking up with a quick winning smile. "Now you see she
turns the scripture topsy-turvy. Instead of women having to inquire of
their husbands at home, men are obliged to inquire of their wives and
sweethearts. I don't mind that, though. I'd rather hear it from you than
from Mrs. Frankland any day." And he gathered up his gloves, and leaned
back in his chair.

Phillida smiled, and took this for an invitation to repeat to him part
of what Mrs. Frankland had said. She related the story of Elizabeth
Fry's work in Newgate, as Mrs. Frankland had told it, she r